CRAFTSMAN Peter Thornley has won a package of high- tech office equipment to help kick-start his one-man business.

He was awarded the top prize in the Plain Sailing initiative launched by Business Link County Durham, and sponsored by The Northern Echo and Century FM.

The project was devised to provide a helping hand to new companies through their formative days.

Grants and equipment were made available to the first 30 companies applying to take part in the scheme, with a top prize of a laptop computer, mobile phone and specially designed company logo for the first enterprise to submit its business plan.

Peter was the first off the mark, and he believes the prizes will make a real difference to his embryonic business.

A self-taught craftsman, Peter, who works from his Peterlee home, can literally turn his hand to anything from children's wall murals to grandfather clocks.

From his garden workshop, Peter, 35, is turning out a wide range of goods including wrought iron lamp bases, engraved glassware and children's furnishings.

He said: "I have slowly built up all the necessary tools I need for the various things that I make and I am happy to produce items from commissions."

Over the past year he has also been given business advice from accountancy to taxation by Graeme Cadas, action team advisor with Easington Action Team for Jobs.